Preparing imac for sale and uninstalling stuff

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Level 1

4 points

Preparing imac for sale and uninstalling stuff

Hi all

I need info on uninstalling my personal stuff,cache, bookmarks,account ID,etc.and prepare my imac for sale. I'd like to sell it with OSX 10.3 and not reformat.

Thanks
Web dude

Mac Mini, G4 AGP tower, PowerMac 8600, G3 minitower, Mac OS X (10.4.8), Mac User 12 years strong

Posted on Aug 22, 2007 8:12 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kenichi Watanabe

Level 8

41,572 points

Aug 22, 2007 8:41 PM in response to Web dude

If you have a Mac OS X 10.3 Installation Disk, the best way is to restart from the CD, run Disk Utility from the menu, and Erase with the Option to Zero Data. Then reinstall Mac OS X 10.3. It would probably save you time, compared to having to selectively delete files and leave the software intact.

There are probably utilities to erase only the free space securely. The Disk Utility from Mac OS X 10.4 has a Erase Free Space button that is not in the 10.3.

If your iMac is one with FireWire, you could restart it in FireWire Target Disk mode. Actually, first you should delete everything you want to securely erase.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

Then, connect it to one of your Macs with 10.4. The iMac's hard drive should appear on the other Mac's desktop as a FireWire external drive. Run Disk Utility, select the iMac's drive, and go to the Erase tab. There should be a button there that says Erase Free Space.

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Answer 2

Aug 23, 2007 4:29 AM in response to Web dude

I'd really advise reformatting. A number of years ago I bought an iMac for my mother that hadn't been properly erased, and found a seriously compromising video featuring the young lady who had sold the machine. 'I removed it before my mother got the machine.

It's just best to erase and initialize.

David

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